Originally posted by FMF
Not sure why you're getting a wee bit snide, robbie. There's no rancour felt at all at this end. None whatsoever. The issue is the meaning of the passage, not whether or not you are satisfied with the meaning I glean from it. If you believe that "good trees" refers to something other that true Christians, why not just say so?

this is me being pleasant FMF, i have exercised my patience to the limit in this thread,
asking time and again for answers to my questions which were being dodged like roger
the dodger at a paint-ball fest! i have not researched the passage and until i do i will
not proffer any opinions as if i am an authority on the matter. I have merely been
content to stick to what is explicitly stated.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
i have not researched the passage and until i do i will
not proffer any opinions as if i am an authority on the matter.

OK, well feel free to bear in mind my ideas when you try to reach your opinion.

Originally posted by FMF
OK, well feel free to bear in mind my ideas when you try to reach your opinion.

your ideas FMF amount to, i read the passage, i say its a reference to true christians.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
your ideas FMF amount to, i read the passage, i say its a reference to true christians.

The meaning of the passage is as plain as day as far as I am concerned. Perhaps you will suggest an alternative interpretation of what seems a very clear passage, someday soon. Perhaps the fact that you do not have a point of view on the meaning of "good trees" is the cause of your seeming 'hostility' to my interpretation. Frankly, I cannot understand why you have been behaving like my interpretation of this little passage is a threat or affront to you. Totally unnecessary, if you ask me.

Originally posted by FMF
The meaning of the passage is as plain as day as far as I am concerned. Perhaps you will suggest an alternative interpretation of what seems a very clear passage, someday soon. Perhaps the fact that you do not have a point of view on the meaning of "good trees" is the cause of your seeming 'hostility' to my interpretation. Frankly, I cannot understand why you ha ...[text shortened]... on of this little passage is a threat or affront to you. Totally unnecessary, if you ask me.

Indeed, I prefer my Biblical truths peppered with references, substantiated with
empirical data and drawn from that which is explicitly stated in scripture. Yes its a no
nonsense approach, but when one is constantly having to defend ones position from
potentially hostile elements, it pays to have a solid position.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
Indeed, I prefer my Biblical truths peppered with references, substantiated with
empirical data and drawn from that which is explicitly stated in scripture. Yes its a no
nonsense approach, but when one is constantly having to defend ones position from
potentially hostile elements, it pays to have a solid position.

Your "solid position" appears to be that you just don't know who the "good trees" refers to. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose.

Originally posted by FMF
Your "solid position" appears to be that you just don't know who the "good trees" refers to. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose.

no, i have not even begun to look at the text, but i certainly will not adopt the read and
instantly conclude approach! Its the spiritual equivalent of instant noodles!

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
no, i have not even begun to look at the text, but i certainly will not adopt the read and
instantly conclude approach! Its the spiritual equivalent of instant noodles!

Who instantly concluded anything, robbie? Not me. If you feel, having read it [and having "not even begun to look at the text"], that I am somehow pressuring you to instantly 'conclude" something, I do have to ask, how come you have only come to read this passage for the first time just now?

Originally posted by FMF
Who instantly concluded anything, robbie? Not me. If you feel, having read it [and having "not even begun to look at the text"], that I am somehow pressuring you to instantly 'conclude" something, I do have to ask, how come you have only come to read this passage for the first time just now?

reading and meditating upon what one has read are not the same thing are they FMF.
reading and doing research into what one has read are not the same thing, i have read
the passage many times, it does not necessitate that i have a deep understanding of it
despite having read it, many times.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
reading and meditating upon what one has read are not the same thing are they FMF.
reading and doing research into what one has read are not the same thing, i have read
the passage many times, it does not necessitate that i have a deep understanding of it
despite having read it, many times.

Well each to their own, I suppose. I will be curious to see what you come up with for "good trees" if it's not to refer to true Christians, as opposed to the falsity of "bad trees" purporting to be Christians. Presumably, judging by your demeanour on these last however-many-pages-it's-been, it's going to be something other than 'true Christians'. Otherwise, my interpretation would have resonated with you and you would have been a tad more magnanimous. If after your meditation however, you do end up agreeing with me, it'll be interesting to see your manner then.

Originally posted by FMF
Well each to their own, I suppose. I will be curious to see what you come up with for "good trees" if it's not to refer to true Christians, as opposed to the falsity of "bad trees" purporting to be Christians. Presumably, judging by your demeanour on these last however-many-pages-it's-been, it's going to be something other than 'true Christians'. Otherwise, my i ...[text shortened]... however, you do end up agreeing with me, it'll be interesting to see your manner then.

I simply do not think that your assertions are explicitly stated in scripture and rely upon
an inference which has no validity other than your own assertions of validity, sorry, but
that's what it amounts to. Its not apparent to me that the 'good trees', mean anything
at all and are merely part of an analogy Christ was using. I see certainly no reason to
assume that Christ was using 'good trees', as a reference so that the disciples would know
that they are true christians, unlike John 13:35, where he actually mentions how one
could discern who was a true disciple.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
IIts not apparent to me that the 'good trees', mean anything
at all and are merely part of an analogy Christ was using.

But analogies have meaning. Analogies are used expressly to convey meaning. If Christ was using an analogy, it doesn't make sense to think that Christ's analogy did not "mean anything". But, you are entitled to your opinion.

Originally posted by RJHinds
One thing I can say is that Christ's true disciples are not Jehovah's Witnesses.

Prove it?

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
well duh! 'those men', as in remote from the disciples, as in not the disciples, as in
false prophets, as in diametrically opposed to the disciples, in fact there is no
mention of the disciples in the entire passage, you are as usual talking pure
unadulterated pants! why? because you think your opinions are equivalent to
Biblical truth that ...[text shortened]... ridiculous in the
future, try sticking to what's actually in the Bible, you may do better.

I only posted what Jesus is quoted as saying in the Bible; I can do no more than that. Your protestations are mearly the wrigglings of an religious organisationist defending his postion from within his cult. I somehow expected more from you although I don't know why.

Originally posted by divegeester
I only posted what Jesus is quoted as saying in the Bible; I can do no more than that. Your protestations are mearly the wrigglings of an religious organisationist defending his postion from within his cult. I somehow expected more from you although I don't know why.

yawn, first of all you posted a partial quotation with reference to what Christ stated
about false prophets and how to recognise, after i pointed out how stupid your
assertion was you were forced to post the whole account still trying to claim that it was
a reference to true christians and how to recognise them after ignoring every Biblical
reference, you're a joke, waste someone else's time with your silly assertions.